Is It Dangerous To Live Next To A House Tented For Termites?

Termite tenting is not something that you will find happening in your neighborhood on a daily basis. However, you will guess that your neighbor’s house is being fumigated when you see it covered in colorful tarps. The first thing to cross your mind will be how termite tenting at your neighbor’s place will impact you and your house.

Is Fumigation Safe For Neighbors And Does It Affect Them?

Termite fumigation is safe and should not affect anyone if all the instructions laid out by your pest control specialist are followed.

Thus, is it not considered dangerous to live next to a house that is being fumigated for termites. However, as a precautionary measure, it is not advised to stay near the premises during the tenting.

During termite tenting, the fumigation contractor uses a tent made from huge tarpaulins that are made of vinyl-coat nylon. They are then secured using tape and a plastic sheet to form a tent-like structure around your house.

The fumigation contractor then pumps the house with gaseous chemicals which are meant to kill the termites infesting your home. The primary chemical used is sulfuryl fluoride, which is odorless and colorless. Structural fumigations that are done by Chem Free Exterminating involve applying Vikane gas (which is sulfuryl fluoride’s trade name) to eliminate drywood termites.

Sulfuryl fluoride is mixed with a type of tear gas that helps ward off people coming close to the house while it’s being fumigated. Once fumigation is over, the tent is lifted and the chemicals escape into the atmosphere.

Sulfuryl fluoride is a highly toxic chemical that depresses the central nervous system. Any living organism (including plants, animals, insects, and humans!) that remains in the house during tenting becomes poisoned, and consequently dies.

However, the chemical declines to an undetectable level once the tent is removed from the home. The occupants are allowed to enter back to the house once the chemical levels reach below 1 ppm as set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

What Is A Fumigation Notice To Neighbors?

A fumigation notice is a type of notification that is normally in the form of cards or fliers from the pest control contractors informing neighboring residents when a fumigation treatment is scheduled.

Most towns and cities across the US do not require you to notify your neighbors of scheduled fumigation. However, in case you receive a notice, you may make an effort to keep away other people, pets, and children from these fumigated areas.

Some states such as California do have neighbor notification laws. The occupant fumigation notice states details about the whole fumigation process such as, the pests to be controlled, the chemicals that are going to be used and their active ingredients, as well as the caution statement.

The fumigation notice is produced by the pest control company and has to be signed by the owner of the premises where fumigation is being done or their agent.

The notice must also claim and caution that a poisonous gas will be sprayed on the building on a specific date and no one should gain access to the building until another notice (i.e. notice of re-entry) is posted by the company in charge of the fumigation process. The people occupying the building should be issued with a copy of the fumigation notice.

What Should You Do When Neighbors Are Fumigating For Termites?

Fumigation at your neighbor’s house can lead to questions about how the process will impact your home.

Some of the concerns that you should raise before taking action include:

– Is your family’s health at stake during the fumigation process at your neighbor’s house?

It is normal for you to worry about the type of pesticides being used in the fumigation process at your neighbor’s house. You may worry if the pesticides will spread on your property and cause harm to your family and pets.

You should therefore ensure that the team performing the fumigation process has set up a tent that keeps all the chemicals inside the house, thus protecting the outside areas from exposure.

Depending on where you live, there are different state regulations about the safety of the fumigation process. You can contact your pest control company to learn more about the process.

– Is my house at risk once my neighbor’s house is fumigated?

You may be concerned about the risk of infestation in your own home. Probably, you have been told that fumigating simply sends the termites away. However, the main purpose of the fumigation process is to kill the termites in the infested house.

In addition, some pests such as termites could as well infest your home if they are present in your neighbor’s house. You should call for a pest control inspection in your own home to rule out the possibility of a termite infestation in your own house.

Tenting can be the most effective method to treat a house for termites. And if you comply with the stringent requirements that come along with the process, it is safe to live next to a tented house as well.

Our friendly and knowledgeable technicians are just a phone call away at (714) 533-7800 and are always here to help and answer any concerns you may have about termite treatments and the services we offer.

So if you’re located in Orange County, California, don’t hesitate to contact Chem Free Exterminating today!